Offseason moves as I see it..

[iRobot]

Moves to do:

Trade the Morris twins. They seem to be a cancer on this team and now with their legal troubles, I just don't think they need to be here. Markieff should net us something decent in return, 1st rounder or at best (less likely with legal troubles) a pair of 1st rounders.

Would be really nice to move up in the lottery and grab a true SG like D'Angelo Russel (Ohio State) or grab a good center. I think Wright can probably fill in at center though as he has shown.

LaMarcus Aldridge: Can he be pried away from Portland? I would love it if he can be....

Cashing in on Bogdan Bogdanović... may be time to see what we have there.

Adjusted Roster:

PG: Bledsoe, Knight
SG: Goodwin, Bullock, (Option: D'Angelo Russell (Ohio State), Bogdan Bogdanović)
SF: Warren, Tucker
PF: LaMarcus Aldridge (FA), Wright
C: Len, (Options: Frank Kaminsky (Wisconsin) DeAndre Jordan (FA)

I'm making the assumption this FO isn't going to let Knight walk considering they gave up so much for him.

 

[Mainstreet]

Wanting players like LaMarcus Aldridge and DeAndre Jordan is well and good. However, they are unlikely to want to come to the Suns. Russell is likely to be drafted in the first five picks. Trading the Morris twins for value is a hard sell. Drafting Kaminsky is the most realistic possibility but he may not fall that far.

 

[JCSunsfan]

It's going to be a good summer. Expectations are really low.

 

[Mainstreet]

It appears some believe Tom Thibodeau will be fired in the offseason. Maybe the Suns should think about hiring him. I have not followed him much but I have admired his defense.

http://basketball.realgm.com/wireta...-Expect-Him-To-Be-Fired-By-Bulls-In-Offseason

 

[Phrazbit]

I get firing Brooks, that guy was being carried by his talent, I think he stunk. But Thibs... thats a crock if they fire him. The Bulls had no business being as good as they've been the past 3 years.

 

[Mainstreet]

I get firing Brooks, that guy was being carried by his talent, I think he stunk. But Thibs... thats a crock if they fire him. The Bulls had no business being as good as they've been the past 3 years.

I'd love to see the Suns play good defense.

 

[SirStefan32]

It appears some believe Tom Thibodeau will be fired in the offseason. Maybe the Suns should think about hiring him. I have not followed him much but I have admired his defense.

http://basketball.realgm.com/wireta...-Expect-Him-To-Be-Fired-By-Bulls-In-Offseason

That's crazy! Thibs is easily a top-five, and maybe even a top-three coach in the NBA. I would LOVE to have him in Phoenix. He gets more out of his players than they think they are capable off, and if you don't play defense... you don't play. Simple as that!

 

[BC867]

That's crazy! Thibs is easily a top-five, and maybe even a top-three coach in the NBA. I would LOVE to have him in Phoenix. He gets more out of his players than they think they are capable off, and if you don't play defense... you don't play. Simple as that!

Not only that, but it would be the responsibility of the GM to give him a roster that can play defense.

It would be a statement on the part of the Front Office. Otherwise, hiring Thibs would make no sense.

Sadly, it is difficult to imagine that happening.

 

[sunsfan88]

It appears some believe Tom Thibodeau will be fired in the offseason. Maybe the Suns should think about hiring him. I have not followed him much but I have admired his defense.

http://basketball.realgm.com/wireta...-Expect-Him-To-Be-Fired-By-Bulls-In-Offseason

I think hiring a guy like Thibs who is about winning and playing defense goes against everything Robert Sarver and his FO believes in.

I'm sure his premise for it will be "I tried it with Porter and it didn't work" because obviously if Porter, a scrub HC who has never been a HC or even given an interview since didn't work out then clearly defensive coaches are all bad!

On a serious note though, I can't think of one good reason for Thibs to join a lowly team like the Suns when other opportunities most notably the OKC job is available. Heck Monty Williams might be getting the axe soon and that's yet another job opportunity anyone and everyone would prefer over the Suns. Davis with Thibs would just be unfair.

 

[Mainstreet]

I think hiring a guy like Thibs who is about winning and playing defense goes against everything Robert Sarver and his FO believes in.

I'm sure his premise for it will be "I tried it with Porter and it didn't work" because obviously if Porter, a scrub HC who has never been a HC or even given an interview since didn't work out then clearly defensive coaches are all bad!

On a serious note though, I can't think of one good reason for Thibs to join a lowly team like the Suns when other opportunities most notably the OKC job is available. Heck Monty Williams might be getting the axe soon and that's yet another job opportunity anyone and everyone would prefer over the Suns. Davis with Thibs would just be unfair.

I think Sarver would hire Thibodeau if he could lure him here. This is where Sarver should not be penny wise and pound foolish. Pay the man.

Sarver should be all about winning with a new arena at stake. Losing teams are not going to get him there. I agree it would be hard to lure Thibodeau to the Suns. However, the Suns should go for it.

 

[Errntknght]

The article I read said that it was people close to Thibs who were talking about him being fired - sounds like it could be a move to bring the subject up early so the Chicago fans can oppose the idea before it grows any legs. Maybe if Milwaukee goes on to knock them out of the playoffs the fans might turn on him.

I watched the last game in the series and one of the key moves that Kidd made was to have Jared Dudley guarding Noah. It sounds like a silly mismatch but Noah plays so much on the perimeter setting screens that it allowed the Bucks to switch on the screens when it was needed. It probably won't work twice as the Bulls will be ready to have Noah take him inside. Jimmy Butler played an amazing game to keep the Bulls in it - without him it would have a blowout.

Needless to say, I'd be thrilled if we could get Thibs. If the Bulls are dumb enough to dump him, an interesting move for Hornacek would be to volunteer to step down to assistant coach - it would have to be an education for him to work under such a master of defense. Assuming he wants to continue coaching. He has plenty to learn on the offensive end as well.

 

[BC867]

Needless to say, I'd be thrilled if we could get Thibs. If the Bulls are dumb enough to dump him, an interesting move for Hornacek would be to volunteer to step down to assistant coach - it would have to be an education for him to work under such a master of defense. Assuming he wants to continue coaching. He has plenty to learn on the offensive end as well.

What a novel idea! Jeff is humble enough to consider stepping down to Lead Assistant Coach. Whether he would or not is unlikely. It would brand him forever as a backup. Which is probably what he'll be after his gig here.

If he did take a demotion, would he retain his Head Coach salary? Could we afford it?

Ah, it's not going to happen. Especially while McDonough is GM. Jeffy is his "point" man (to coin a phrase). Or is that 3-Point man?

And beside, why would the Suns keep him rather than letting him seek his own level in a new environment?

 

[SirStefan32]

Well, one thing we are all missing is the question of why in the hell Thibs (or anyone good, for that matter) would consider the Suns.

 

[95pro]

$$$$

 

[sunsfan88]

Yea we all know Sarver has a reputation for paying really well....

 

[SirStefan32]

$$$$

Plenty of teams will pay good caches a lot of money. Crappy coaches and new coaches interview for the management. Management interview for good coaches.

 

[Errntknght]

What a novel idea! Jeff is humble enough to consider stepping down to Lead Assistant Coach. Whether he would or not is unlikely. It would brand him forever as a backup. Which is probably what he'll be after his gig here.

If he did take a demotion, would he retain his Head Coach salary? Could we afford it?

Ah, it's not going to happen. Especially while McDonough is GM. Jeffy is his "point" man (to coin a phrase). Or is that 3-Point man?

And beside, why would the Suns keep him rather than letting him seek his own level in a new environment?

If you think he'll only be able to get an assistant's job he may be thinking that himself - working under Thibs is probably as good a way as any to 'rehabilitate' his image. If he does get fired here and then scrambles for an assistants slot somewhere else he is not likely to get another HC gig. Voluntarily stepping down to work under a great coach I think would be viewed as him wanting to polish his coaching skills. Besides, if he did that he'd probably succeed Thibs eventually. Or he might find he prefers being a lead assistant to being a head coach. He avoids having to move, too... perhaps avoiding multiple moves.

Since he's doing it voluntarily the Suns are not keeping him from anything.

 

[sunsfan88]

Forget the Thibs pipe dream, more realistic candidates who would help us are Mike Malone, Ettore Messina and Jeff Van Gundy.

 

[Phrazbit]

None of it matters because they are not firing Hornacek. His seat isn't even warm.

 

[Errntknght]

None of it matters because they are not firing Hornacek. His seat isn't even warm.

Sadly, you're probably right but we can always hope. I do think he's feeling a little heat after so much went awry. On the other hand if Thibs comes onto the market, it may change McD's mind - they probably have a Boston connection, though it's not necessarily a positive thing.

 

[Phrazbit]

If the climate of the team does not change in the first few months of next year, then I think his seat will start to sizzle, but right now I'd be surprised if firing him is even in the conversation.

And frankly, it shouldn't be. People fret enough about the outside perception of this front office and canning Hornacek after 2 seasons where, quite frankly, the team probably had a better record than the talent warranted, would make for yet another round of pounding from the pundits.

I'd like Thibs as a coach, I think he is among the best in the NBA, but I don't think the Bulls will fire him and even if they did I think doing something like firing Hornacek at this point would only make a coach more weary of signing here.

 

[sunsfan88]

With the Bulls drafting Portis, I think Taj Gibson may be on the block.

The Bulls front court right now is Noah, Gasol, Gibson, Mirotic and Portis. They may look to move Gibson who could come a long way in the veteran leadership and defensive help that we're looking for. Not a horrible offensive player either.